Open Thread: Browns vs. Packers
August 14, 2010While We’re Waiting…Phil Dawson wins it, McCoy struggles in debut, and Tribe loses 9-3
August 15, 2010
(This is just the first review of the Browns pre-season game. There will be more tomorrow and next week.)
I thought for sure that the Browns defense was going to be miles ahead of the offense. The Browns showed anything but that to start their pre-season action against Green Bay. In the first four offensive possessions, the Browns scored three touchdowns. Additionally, none of those touchdowns were aided by the special teams abilities of Josh Cribbs. Insert all the necessary disclaimers about this being the pre-season, but the Browns offense came out showing exactly what they needed to show.
Jake Delhomme only lasted a single series. Delhomme went 6/7 for 66 yards on the opening drive of the game. It was an 80 yard touchdown drive capped off by a Jerome Harrison run from four yards out. Evan Moore, Mohamed Massoquai and Brian Robiskie all received passes on the drive. The Browns committed no penalties. They were efficient and Jake Delhomme ran the offense with all the authority any Browns fan could expect.
If that wasn’t enough, Seneca Wallace came in and played just as well. After the Browns recovered a fumble deep in Green Bay territory, Wallace extended a play using his feet. He avoided pressure and moved to his left before hitting a streaking Brian Robiskie in the back corner of the end zone for a 13 yard strike. The Browns went up 14-0 in a big hurry as there was still almost nine minutes to go in the first quarter.
The Browns busted out on their next drive, but Seneca Wallace wasn’t finished just yet. After the Browns defense allowed the Packers to tie the game at 14, Wallace led an impressive scoring drive before also following Delhomme to the sidelines for the evening. After Peyton Hillis took a beautiful screen pass 26 yards to the Green bay 25, Seneca Wallace faked the Packers defense out of their shoes. After taking the snap, he pump faked, allowing Ben Watson to run past his defender. Wallace drilled Watson in the numbers down the middle of the field for a 20 yard scoring strike. The Browns responded to two unanswered Packer TDs.
At that point Wallace’s night ended. The Browns gave the ball to Colt McCoy. We will be back to talk about the rest of the Browns reserves and their tough start on defense. For now, though, I think most Browns fans are feeling very good about the potential of the Browns offense with their two new veteran QBs. Even though it is a pre-season game and there is a whole lot of time to go before meaningful football, the Browns QBs did everything that any of us could have asked going into tonight.
Don’t print your Super Bowl tickets just yet Browns fans, but rest easy knowing that for at least one night, they looked more than competent. For this first test, the Browns offense passed their first test. They looked efficient, prepared, capable, and potentially even dangerous.
11 Comments
I think it’s safe to say we have two quarterbacks better than Anderson and Quinn combined.
Two things:
1) This offensive line is solid. Delhomme never really had to worry about getting killed and thus never panicked; he didn’t fall back to always making the two-yard dump throw. Also nice to see no false starts or holding penalties.
2) There was one play that stuck out where Delhomme walked to the line and audibled. I don’t remember if it was a play of significance, but I remember thinking that Delhomme just looks like he knows what he’s doing, what to look for, and where to throw the ball. All of those things are light-years improvements from the 2008-2009 QB play.
I know it’s early, but that first drive was against the starters on one of the best teams in the league on defense. That counts for *something*.
My highlights for tonight are two-fold.
1) I really enjoy the fact that several receivers were in the game early, and not all of them were of the *wide* variety. Robo, Massaquoi, Hillis, Moore, Watson…all catches in the first few drives. A lot of the passing game last season stalled due to lack of options; this (hopefully) is no longer the case.
2) TJ Ward. He’s been everywhere. I’d like to see him wrap-up more (like the Driver play on third-and-long), but he definitely has a nose for the ball.
I said something similar re: Ward in the open thread, Scott. Less kill-shots, more wrapping up. He’s always in the right spot; and while I like the play on Driver, no way should that fullback have been able to spin and get the TD for the Packers. A wrap-up/push-back probably keeps him out on that play.
Id agree with Scott and DP here. I think we just watched the first glimpse of a special player in TJ Ward tonight. He can fix his mistakes pretty easily. He was all over the place that 1st half and thats a great sign.
I also loved the passing game. Moore was terrific with the first team. He almost seems like a Joe J type receiver to me compared to a TE. Ben Watson also showed what he can do. Great play on the TD. MoMass had a great catch on a bad throw behind him, but if its 1 of 7 bad throws I can deal with it. Im excited to see what Hardesty adds to this growing offense.
Imrovement and competency are two things I am looking for this season. I think they are finally heading in the right direction and I can’t wait for opening day!
Our QBs were (gasp) competent? Wait, is that allowed?
I wasnt too excited about how easily the Packers (a top tier NFL offense) moved against our starters. Honestly though, thats how they should move through any defense missing a key player at each of the three defensive positions. (Wright, Jackson, Rogers)
This game was a lot of fun to watch for me, because it showed one thing very clearly: The QB depth chart is exactly as it should be and is iron-clad. All 4 guys are right where they should be, although that number will most likely be reduced to 3. Can it be that the Browns have finally found something resembling stability?
glad to see we finally got the helmet radios working
@5
I may be wrong but seems to me that pass to Mass had to go there because of coverage. I loved what i saw last night. Offense was efficient with plenty of options. Also thought Haden did a nice job for his first game I saw a lot of potential